The manual gearbox transplant is finally scheduled: off to the local workshop in a few weeks from now!

But before I send it off to the workshop it required a serious clean: I was dumb enough to store it without cover earlier this year.'t Was even dumber to do that with all the renovation work going on next door: it was seriously covered in @#$%^&* when I drove it out of storage this weekend...

We'll be doing an upgrade or two with the car in the workshop and everything easily accessible.The auto 'box and driveshaft have already disappeared and one cooling pipe has been modified slightly to stay clear from the gearbox adapter plate.First upgrade on the list is a more compact, hi-torque starter motor to replace the Marelli item: with the gearbox fitted there is no way to remove the starter without dropping the gearbox! Thus the better-safe-than-sorry scenario and a brand new starter fitted. I ordered one from Moss earlier today, so we should be able to drop it in some time next week.

I hadn't see the car up in the air yet, so I used my workshop visit to take a closer look. Its underside confirms its less than 1K/year mileage: it looks pristine! Fuel & brake pipes are still shiny, the heat shields are as unblemished as when they left the factory and no sign of rust or accident damage whatsoever. The only thing I could find where the radius arm bushes: they are worn by age, not by high mileage, and will disappear when I fit the new ARB-compatible arms which have new bushes fitted already.

My mechanic - with decades of Jaguar experience - was pleasantly surprised: everything he needed to remove came loose using nothing more than spanners & sockets. Quite rare that he didn't need the help of his regular angle grinder, lump hammer, etc on a 30-year old Jag...

leo_denmark wrote:Is it mufflers or catalysts we see under the gearbox ? I have straight pipes there

Well spotted, Leo!It's a US spec car so it features the cat downpipes. I'll check & replace the intermediate pipes first, according to those in the know those are the most restrictive part of the exhaust system?

leo_denmark wrote:Is it mufflers or catalysts we see under the gearbox ? I have straight pipes there

Well spotted, Leo!It's a US spec car so it features the cat downpipes. I'll check & replace the intermediate pipes first, according to those in the know those are the most restrictive part of the exhaust system?

Now I see. I thought the engine was out and it was the gearbox front we were seeing...

I heard the same about intermidiate mufflers, so I have fitted a pair of Simply Performance intermediate pipes and do thereby now only have the rear mufflers left.

It's not to noisy at normal speeds and driving, but will deliver a little noise on occasion...

Accelaration in D, shifts at appr 100 km/h and 5800 RPM. I have been told that it will shift later if I stick it in 1st, but I haven't dared to do it yet. What if it just doesn't change...